Bereaved motorist is fined after he failed to pay his vehicle insurance

Jon Cooper

Published:16:47Updated:17:13Friday 29 December 2017

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A bereaved motorist who had been dealing with the death of his father and had overlooked paying his vehicle insurance has been ordered to pay £345.

Derby magistrates’ court recently heard this month how Gareth Clements, 35, of Shakespeare Drive, Alfreton, had his vehicle checked by police as he was driving on Leabrooks Road, at Somercotes towards Swanwick, and it was found he had no insurance.

Prosecuting solicitor Joanne Hargreaves said: “The vehicle was stopped on The Green, in Swanwick, and the driver’s details were confirmed and it was discovered his policy had been cancelled.”

Clements pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle without insurance after the incident on April 4.

He told the court: “I have no disagreement with what has been said. My insurance had just run out. It was not that I did not want to pay it. It was a couple of days before I had come from Wales from my dad’s funeral and there was a lot going on.

“I was working for myself and normally the insurance automatically renews but it didn’t this time.”

He added: “It was not that I didn’t want to pay it. It is just that it didn’t renew it.”

Magistrates fined Clements £230 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.